Profanity Peak wolf pack targeted for extermination after more attacks on cattle

Circle shows approximate range of the Profanity Peak wolf pack, which is north of U.S. 20 in Ferry County, Washington.w (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife)

UPDATE, Aug.22, 8 p.m. -- On Aug. 19, after The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced it's decision to try to eliminate the Profanity Peak wolf pack, officials confirmed another wolf depredation with an injured calf. The updated numbers, according to officials: Since July 8, the department has documented 12 depredations by wolves in the pack area; 7 classified as confirmed and 5 as probable.

ENDANGERED SPECIES -- The Profanity Wolf Pack has been sentenced to extermination after resuming attacks on cattle this week, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department announced tonight.

State wildlife biologists received authorization to remove the Ferry County wolf pack after investigating two calf carcasses and an injured calf in a Colville National Forest grazing area today.

The injured calf was classified as the subject of a confirmed wolf attack and the dead calves as subjects of probable wolf attacks, the agency said in a release. Since mid-July, WDFW has confirmed that wolves have killed or injured six cattle and probably five others, based on staff investigations.

Jim Unsworth, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), authorized field staff to remove the remaining members of the Profanity Peak wolf pack to prevent additional attacks on cattle in the rangelands between Republic and Kettle Falls.

The Profanity Peak pack is one of 19 known wolf packs in Washington. Earlier this summer, WDFW determined that the pack had at least 11 members, including six adults and five pups.

“At that time, we said we would restart this operation if there was another wolf attack, and now we have three,” said Donny Martorello, WDFW wolf policy lead. “The department is committed to wolf recovery, but we also have a shared responsibility to protect livestock from repeated depredation by wolves.”

However, removing the entire Profanity Peak pack may prove challenging, given the rugged, timbered landscape in the area, Martorello said.

Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.